First Contact
by rinappe
Summary: What kind of mischief will happen when 7 year old Touko meets newly adopted Yuuto?


Zaizen Touko yawned despite the loud music and chatter surrounding her. Instead of waking her, they seemed to be lulling her to sleep instead. She was only seven years old but she had gone to so many balls and galas that it seemed like they were the only places she would go to in her entire lifetime.

"Papa..." she tugged Zaizen Sousuke's suit sleepily.

"I know you're bored, but why don't you try and go walk around? I'll get Sumisu to follow you around," Sousuke suggested.

Touko pouted but she nodded, knowing her father was busy. She walked away, Sumisu and a few other of the SP Fixers following behind. She would join them soon, in order to protect her father.

It was slightly amusing at first, running around to hide from the SP Fixers just to watch them panic. However, she was too good and she eventually lost them too.

"Is there anyone to play with?" she whined to herself.

She decided to walk out of the large ballroom, thinking maybe she would find some fun outside. She smiled widely when she saw the large ballroom door slightly ajar and squeezed through it.

"Now I just have to find a ball..." she said as she looked around. The Parliament Building always had a ball or two lying around since that's where the SP Fixers would train.

She eventually found one in a nearby room and grinned. She grabbed the ball and made her way outside... until she heard crying.

It came from behind her, where the ballroom was. She wanted to play but if someone was crying...

She peeked from the corner and saw him. A petite boy, about her age, was sitting on a small padded bench just outside the ballroom. He wore a dark emerald suit and sat in a crouched position. His brown dreadlocks were tied back into a high bundle and his piercing red eyes were swimming in tears.

"What's wrong?" she walked to him, ball behind her back.

The boy looked up and rashly wiped his tears.

"N-Nothing..." he sniffled.

"Come on, you can tell me," she said softly. "People don't cry at parties."

The boy looked at her with hesitation and then exhaled.

"My sister and I are in different families now," he confessed. "We... lost our parents and another family took her in. I think she's scared."

He clutched his pants in frustration, on the verge of tears again but soft hands covered his.

"I don't think she will be scared," Touko said. "After all, her big brother will come back to her right?"

"No!" the boy cried and jerked up. "If I want to live with her again, it'll take years! I can never see her again!"

Touko looked at him in shock.

"To win the Football Frontier three times..." he muttered. "That's what I have to do for my sister! Don't act as if you know!"

"I-I'm so sorry... I didn't know..." she squeaked. She was frightened, seeing the frail boy earlier change so fast.

The boy's eyes softened, realizing he had scared Touko and avoided eye contact.

"Sakka is all I have left..."

This specifically caught her attention.

"...What's your name?" she asked with a hint of hesitation. She didn't want him to yell again.

"Yuuto..." he murmured. "What about you?"

"Call me Touko," she replied. "Let me show you something."

She grabbed his arm with her hand and dragged him away from the ballroom with a soccer ball in the other.

"W-Where are you taking me?" Yuuto asked.

"Just follow me," she said with authority, not looking back to face him.

Knowing he had no choice, he followed this strange girl.

\- w -

"Mama! I brought a friend!" Touko called out as she pulled him around a bend in the garden.

Expecting to see her mother, Yuuto quickly stitched up a greeting in his mind but found a patch of bright pink posies instead. Had this girl gone insane? Had she just come here on a whim?

"Mama, mama! This is Yuuto. I found him crying for his family. I thought maybe seeing you would help," she crouched, talking to the flower patch.

Yuuto was young but certainly not childish. In fact, he was quite mature for someone his age. He slowly backed off until she turned to him.

"Don't be shy! Mama wants to see you!" she said.

Hesitant, the brunette walked forward and crouched beside the pinkette. "H-Hello..."

"Just say what you want. Mama will listen to everything," she peered at him with a large grin.

He knew it was crazy. Crazy to talk to plants, thinking it was someone's mother. However, her persistence was something unusual, so he decided to amuse her.

"I hope you're doing well. Touko found me when I was crying. My parents are gone and my sister is in another family. I really..." he never finished his sentence. He was already weeping once more. "T-This is dumb!" he cried into his arm. "No one is here! Just some flowers and it's weird to talk to plants!"

"Mama is here," she simply replied.

"Stop imagining..." he mumbled.

"Mama is really here," he heard her voice getting softer.

"Please—" he turned and saw tears in her blue eyes. Despite that, she smiled.

"Mama..." she was choking on her words. "Is here."

She pointed to her chest and then to Yuuto's.

"And your family, here," she said. "So don't feel lonely anymore, okay?"

Yuuto was amazed at how strong she was. He had no idea what had happened to her mother but it definitely was not a great memory. Still, she stayed strong, looking forward, unlike him.

"...thank you," he murmured as he wiped off his tears and then hers. He stood up and held out his hand. "You had a sakka ball, no? Want to play?"

Touko had to blink a few times before she processed what he was saying. Then she giggled. How ironic that she felt comforted by someone she was trying to comfort.

"Let's play!" she grinned.

\- w -

"Ojou-Sama!" the two children heard calls.

They stopped playing and Touko wore a sour face.

"Are they calling for you?" Yuuto asked.

"Yes, but I don't want to stop," she pouted. Then she grinned. "Follow me."

She grabbed him by his arm once again and led him to a willow tree. The calls grew louder, leading a panicked Touko to push her companion through the low vines. She rushed in, seeing him sprawled on the grass.

"S-Sorry," she laughed nervously.

"I-It's nothing..." he gave an awkward smile but then looked at her curiously. "Are you sure we shouldn't go back yet? We have been playing for quite a while."

"Nah, we just have to wait for the super urgent call," she said as she took a small peek outside to see the SP Fixers' positions.

"And what's that?" he asked, standing up.

"When Papa comes out," she said with a nervous chuckle.

"You shouldn't force your father out like that. You should think about how worried they are," he murmured. "Especially without your mother around."

Touko stiffened at the mention of her mother and turned to Yuuto.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"It's alright. We'll go back then," she smiled but Yuuto could detect the sadness she hid.

He awkwardly opened his arms and looked away.

"I-If it'll make you feel better..." he mumbled.

She slowly walked towards him, hesitant at first, then fell into his arms.

"You should be the one being helped..." she sniffed.

"You helped me already," Yuuto said, holding her.

It reminded him of those times, when his sister would cry in his arms, when she was in need for comforting.

"Ojou—" Sumisu peeped in and hushed. He did not expect to see the peppy, playful pinkette to be... crying.

Yuuto gave Sumisu a look, reassuring him that he would bring her back. The bodyguard nodded with a small smile and left the hideout.

"Did you find her?" Mae asked.

"Don't worry," he smiled. "She's grown up a bit."

\- w -

"Touko!" Sousuke smiled to see his daughter running towards him with a smile.

"Papa!" she cried and hugged him.

Yuuto trailed behind her and bowed to Sousuke with respect.

"Ah, you must be Kidou-Kun. I saw you with your father earlier," Sousuke said.

"Yes, he told me there was business. Are you Zaizen-San?" the little prodigy queried. Sousuke looked at the boy, stunned.

"I played with Yuuto!" Touko grinned.

"I hope you weren't rude," her father said.

"Oh no, Touko was very kind. She helped me," Yuuto reassured him. "She is an extremely great player."

"Ah, Yuuto, there you are," his father walked up to the group. "I've been wondering where you ran off to."

"Sorry, Otou-Sama," his head drooped.

"Remember, Kageyama was the one who recommended you to my family so you had better honor its name right," he demanded.

"You need not be so strict with the child. He is still very young," Sousuke said. Yuuto's father stiffened at the comment and coughed.

"I shall take your advice to heart then," he muttered. "Come Yuuto. It is time we return home."

The businessman turned away to the door and Yuuto slowly trailed behind him.

Touko held her father's tux, eyes fixated on the brunette. When the boy turned around and met her eyes, she smiled.

"I know we'll meet again," she said to herself. "This is only our first contact."


End file.
